Abstract: An LED driving circuit includes a current selecting circuit. The current selecting circuit controls the current transmission path in the plurality of LEDs according to respective threshold voltages of corresponding LEDs and a plurality of current limits.

Abstract: A vibration wave output instrument and its use method are provided. The vibration wave output instrument has a base, a vibration device, a pressure device, and a position mechanism. The position mechanism brings both the vibration device and the pressure device to a target region. The pressure device pushes the vibration device to touch against the target region. The vibration device outputs vibration waves beneath the target region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, an isolation feature disposed on the substrate, and an active area disposed adjacent the isolation feature. The isolation feature may be a shallow trench isolation feature. The STI feature has a first width at the top of the feature and a second width at the bottom of the feature. The first width is less than the second width. Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device is also provided. A method includes forming shallow trench isolation features and then growing an epitaxial layer adjacent the STI features to form an active region.

Abstract: An LED-based lighting unit for retrofitting a fluorescent light fixture in a transit vehicle has a concave frame or structure conforming to the shape of the fluorescent lighting fixture cavity, connector pins on either end of the frame for secure attachment to sockets of the fluorescent fixture, a plurality of LED modules for illuminating an area of a transit vehicle, a power adapter for receiving and converting an input power supply signal, and a diffusive lens cover. The frame may have rear fins or other features for facilitating dissipation of heat generated by the LEDs. A controller adjusts the intensity of the LEDs based on a reading from a temperature sensor and on a manual brightness setting. The change in light output may be accomplished by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated (PWM) waveform supplying the LEDs.

Abstract: An apparatus attached to the roof perimeter to mitigate wind-generated vortices and uplift loads on the roof perimeter area of a building, applicable for both new constructions and retrofits of existing buildings. The apparatus comprises at least one face portion having face perforation and/or edge serration for increasing small-scale turbulence entrainment, equalizing pressure and disorganizing edge shear layer vorticity, and thus disrupting vortex formation. A roof edge vortex suppressor is preferably mounted along the entire circumference of a roof perimeter.

Abstract: A method for forming an integrated circuit is provided. The method includes forming a gate dielectric structure over a substrate. A titanium-containing sacrificial layer is formed, contacting the gate dielectric structure. The whole titanium-containing sacrificial layer is substantially removed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel oxadiazole derivatives having pharmacological activity, processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the treatment of various disorders.

Abstract: A method of fabricating MEMS device includes: providing a substrate with a first surface and a second surface. The substrate includes at least one logic region and at least one MEMS region. The logic region includes at least one logic device positioned on the first surface of the substrate. Then, an interlayer material is formed on the first surface of the substrate within the MEMS region. Finally, the second surface of the substrate within the MEMS region is patterned. After the pattern process, a vent pattern is formed in the second surface of the substrate within the MEMS region. The interlayer material does not react with halogen radicals. Therefore, during the formation of the vent pattern, the substrate is protected by the interlayer material and the substrate can be prevented from forming any undercut.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a first titanium layer over the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first titanium layer has a first thickness less than 130 ?; a first titanium nitride layer over and contacting the first titanium layer; and an aluminum-containing layer over and contacting the first titanium nitride layer.

Abstract: A touch detection apparatus is provided, in which a touch panel is implemented with four surrounding edges. Three of the edges are embedded with retro-reflection materials. Light sources and pinholes are deployed on both corners of the touch panel, allowing reflections from the three edges to be projected on light sensors through the pinhole. The images projected on the light sensors are analyzed to determine coordinates of one or more contact points on the touch panel.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to mutants of HCV NS3/4A protease. More particularly, the present invention identifies mutant of HCV NS3/4A protease that are resistant to drug treatment.

Abstract: A control circuit and method for a power converter controlling adaptive voltage position comprises an adder acquiring an output voltage difference between the output voltage and the reference output voltage, a digital compensator with an Z-domain transfer function to reference to the output voltage difference to generate a pulse width control signal, regulating the least significant bits of a denominator coefficient in the Z-domain transfer function such that a load line function of the power converter is performed via control of the pulse width control signal, and a pulse modulation circuit being controlled by the pulse width control signal to generate the pulse width modulation signal to control ON/OFF of power switch of the power converter. Thus, functions of controlling the negative or positive load lines and function of variable load line required by the operation of multiphase converter can be performed easily without complicated operations.

Abstract: A method for testing a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) includes copying a test program from the DRAM to a random access memory (RAM). Start and end physical addresses of the DRAM are respectively stored in first and second registers. First test data is written to the start physical address, and second test data is read from the start physical address. The method further includes determining whether the second test data is the same as the first test data. A fixed value is added to the start physical address to obtain a next start physical address if the second test data is the same as the first test data. The method further includes determining whether the next start physical address is less than the end physical address. A test success result is returned if the next start physical address is not less than the end physical address.

Abstract: Retransmission techniques are disclosed. These techniques may be used in networks employing contention-based access schemes, such as CSMA. For instance, a device may receive a corrupted packet from a transmitting device, and determine a cause of the corruption. When the determined cause of the corruption is an in-network packet collision, the device allows the transmitting device to send a retransmission of the packet in accordance with a contention-based access scheme. However, when the determined cause of the corruption is other than an in-network packet collision, the device provides retransmission assistance to the transmitting device. This retransmission assistance may include a channel reservation for a retransmission, and/or one or more link adaptation suggestions for the transmitting device.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for inducing and enhancing order and nanostructures in block copolymers and surfactants by certain nonpolymeric additives, such as nanoparticles having an inorganic core and organic functional groups capable of hydrogen bonding. Various compositions having lattice order and nanostructures have been made from a variety of copolymers or surfactants that are mixed with nonpolymeric additives. Particularly, a variety of nanoparticles with an inorganic core and organic functional groups have been discovered to be effective in introducing or enhancing the degree of orders and nanostructures in diverse block copolymers and surfactants.

Abstract: A battery connector is mounted on a printed circuit board which defines a holding hole therein. The battery connector includes an insulating housing, a plurality of conductive terminals and a fastening member disposed in the insulating housing respectively. The insulating housing defines a plurality of terminal recesses each extending vertically and longitudinally to pass through a top surface and a front surface thereof. The front surface defines a shallow depression. Each of the conductive terminals has a contact portion and a soldering portion exposed from the front surface for being soldered on the printed circuit board. The fastening member has a base board engaged in the shallow depression and exposed from the front surface for being soldered on the printed circuit board. A soldering tail is extended opposite to the insulating housing from a portion of the base board for being inserted into the holding hole.

Abstract: A management system includes a container unit, a sensing unit, a control unit, a signal display unit and a liquid pumping unit. The container unit has a container, a liquid substance and an information storing element. The liquid substance has material information recorded in the information storing element. The sensing unit has an information reader for sensing the material information when the sensing unit joined with the container unit. The control unit electrically connects the information reader to receive the material information. The control unit has a material judging module for judging whether the material information is correct in order to generate a judgment result. The signal display unit has a signal display module for outputting a predetermined signal according to the judgment result. The liquid pumping unit has a liquid pumping module selectively inserted into the container to pump the liquid substance according to the judgment result.

Abstract: A method, a system, and an apparatus for evaluating video quality are disclosed to improve accuracy of the evaluation. The method includes: obtaining information about a transmitted video; resolving the information about the transmitted video to obtain video frame parameters, where the video frame parameters include a compression distortion parameter and/or a video quality distortion parameter with packet loss; and calculating a video frame quality parameter according to the video frame parameters. An apparatus and a system for evaluating video quality are provided. The embodiments of the present invention improve accuracy of video quality evaluation without reference.

Abstract: An LCD driver circuit having a common electrode, a gate driving circuit and a source driving circuit is provided. The LCD driver circuit is applied to a display panel which has a plurality of pixels, a plurality of scan lines and a data line. The scan lines are divided into a plurality of scan line groups. The scan line groups are disposed on the display panel in a first sequence. The common electrode outputs a common voltage. The gate driving circuit is coupled to the scan lines and provides a control voltage to each scan line in a second sequence different from the first sequence. The source driving circuit is coupled to the data line to provide a gray level voltage to the data line. An area of the gray level voltage being higher or lower than the common voltage corresponds to a high level area of the control voltages in the nonadjacent scan line groups, and polarities of the operated pixels in the adjacent scan line groups are opposite.

Abstract: A lamp assembly includes a storage tank, a lamp, a liquid inlet pipe, a liquid outlet pipe and an actuator. The storage tank contains liquid therein. The lamp includes a lighting portion and a lid located at a top of the lighting portion. A flume is defined between a top end of the lighting portion and the lid. The liquid inlet pipe connects a first end of the storage tank and a corresponding end of the flume. The liquid outlet pipe connects an opposite second end of the storage tank and a corresponding end of the flume of the lamp. The actuator drives the liquid to circulate between the storage tank and the flume of the lamp to thereby dissipate heat generated by the lamp.